Folding sofa-bed.



A No. 700,042. PatentedA May I3, |902.

' E. c. HAnTsHonN.

FoLDmG soFA BED.

(Application fue-d Apr. `9, 1901.) (no Model.) 2 sheets.-shet 2` MZLneSSeS [bVeDfOI.

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.ELcIN-o. HARTSHORN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

FOLDING SOFA-BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 700,042, dated May 13, 1902. Application filed Aprilv 9, Serial No. 55,056. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern; f f

Beit known that I, ELGINC. HARTSHORN, a

citizen of the United States', residing at Denver, in the county of'Arapahoe and State' of Colorado, have inven ted'certain new and usefullmprovementsin Folding Sofa-Beds3and I vdeclare the following `to be a full, clear, and

exact description of my invention, such as i will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same, ref-.

erence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in

which similar letters of reference indicate cor` responding parts in allthe iigures.

My invention relatesto a classof ysofascertain.improven1ents in'folding sofa-beds provided with removable ends, such improvements relating, first, tothe connecting de,-

vccs by which the seat is secured detachably tothe ends, and, second, to thev hingi'ng of the seat and back. Regarding the connections between the seat and the ends, it is especially important in an articleofthis character' to employ connections which will not be materially affected by dam'pnessor heat, since the frame of the seat and the ends being made of Wood they are readilysusceptible to the influence of heat or moisture, and unless the connecting devicesa're so constructed as not to be carriedoutof adjustment thereby they are apt to bind'or to failfto tit, preventing the putting together or separation ofthe parts of the sofa. Furthermore, owing to the nature of the'uses't'o which'sofa-beds are put it is of great importance that the seat be proL vided With a broad orextended support on the ends. l A constructionwhich answers these requirements is one ofthe principal features of my present invention. Regarding the 'hinge connections of the back and seat in sofa-beds, it is highly 'desirable to provide ample space forlsprings Without interfering with the swinging up of the seat to expose the wardrobe-space lbeneathit, as Well when the back is'in itsver'ti'cal' position as when it is turned down to forma bed. This also is provided forbymyinvention.

I attain the above objects by the construction'outlined in the drawings, in which- Figure l is an end View ot' my new folding sofa-bed having the end removed, showing the manner in which the seat and the back are hinged together. Fig. 2 is an end View showing the back lowered to the position it occupies when forminga full-sized bed. Fig. 3 is an isometrical `view representing the device in sofa form. Fig. 4 is a front view having a section of the box-front removed, showing the endfastening device. Fig. 5 is a perspective end view having the end removed. Fig. 6 is an`elevation of the end showing the fastening device.' f I -A represents the seat of the sofa. B represents lthe back of same.

' C represents a supporti-ng post or beam which is constructed of wood or other suitv B are box-shaped, being, in fact, composed of boxes in which the springs are carried, and theyare hinged by the hinges C C2, placed at or near their upper inner edges to opposite sides of the posts or beams C, so that the hinges are spaced a distance apart. This construction is an important part of 'my invention, since by'it -I'providefor fusing the springs neces-V sary to a satisfactory sofa-bed without inter'- feringwith the swingingv ofthe seat or back, the seat being freely movableupward when the back is upright as Well as when it is turned down. `It is thus possible to provide a wardrobe or clothes-chest under the seat, notwithstanding the fact that the seat is practically a regular box-spring; The ends of the sofa"repres'ented byC3 and C4 arev provided With vswinging portions, (indicated by C5 and C6.) These parts C5 and C6 are hinged to the ends of the sofa and are providedwith cleats similar to the one designated by C7, which are adapted to forma support for the back of the sofa when it is lowered to form a bed. Suitable beveled deviceson the principle of the one designated by C9 in Fig. 6 of the drawings are provided on the inner lower side of the ends of the sofa. These beveled IOO devices are adapted to wedge into a beveled surface provided on the cross-pieces represented by COand Cl1 and forming part of the box construction. These devices-namely, the beveled contrivances attached tothe ends and thecross-piecesdesignated by CloandCuare in the form of male and female members and have oppositely-inclined surfaces adapted to wedge tightly together, as fully illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. This construction is one of the most essential features of my invention,as it provides a fastening device for the ends of the sofa which securely and rigidly holds the ends, although so constructed that they can very readily be removed to facilitate the undoing of the sofabed when desiring to pack it for shipping or for placing it into a knocked-down condition, facilitating the ingress and egress into buildings, ne. It further provides an extended or broad bearing for the seat and accommodates itself to variations caused by swelling or shrinking of the wood of which the parts of the sofa-bed are composed, so that there is never any diiiiculty about the assembling or separation of the parts, which adjust themselves to each other automatically. The swinging or hinged parts, of the ends can be swung outward into the position occupied in Fig. 2 of the drawings and the back lowered to the position occupied in said figure when it rests upon the cleats or supports designated by C7, as fully illustrated in Fig. 2. Any suitable contrivance may be utilized to hold the swinging parts of the ends against the back of the sofa when it is raised to the upright position. (Shown in Figs. l, 3, andof the drawings.) In the drawingsI have shown thumb latches CS for this purpose. Said thumb-latches are pivoted near the ends of the back B and are adapted to engage the upper edges of the hinged parts CSC when they arein the position shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5.

After a folding sofa-bed has been constructed according to the foregoing description and the diderent illustrations in the drawings the operation of same is very simple. Vhen desiring to produce a bed, the swinging parts C5 and C6 of the ends C3 and C1 are swung outward, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The back is lowered to the position represented in said ligure and rests upon the cleats indicated by C7. lVhen desiring to remove the ends for purposes hereinbefore referred to, the simple operation of striking on the top of the end parts will loosen the beveled fastening device formed by the beveled contrivance of the principle indicated by C and the cross-pieces designated by C10 and C11.

Afterhaving thus described the nature and objects of my invention, with the manner of constructing and operating the same, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1.,In a sofa-bed, the combination with a pair of ends, cach composed of a stationary and an adjustable section hinged together whereby the said adjustable section may be extended in alinement with the stationary section and arranged at right angles to said stationary section, of a vertically-extending support arranged between the stationary section of the ends, an adjustable seat adapted to engage over and upon the top of said support when the said seat is in a lowered position, means for suitably hinging one side of the seat to the support to permit of elevating the said seat, an adjustable back adapted to extend over and upon the top of the said support when the said back is in a lowered position, means for suitably binging the back to the said support to permit of verticallj7 adjusting the said back, an elongated cleat secured to the stationary sections of the ends,

cleats connected to the seat and engaging in the cleats of the ends for supporting the seat when in a lowered position, and means carried by the adjustable sections of the ends for supporting the back when in a lowered position.

2. In a sofa-bed, the combination with a pair of ends, each composed of a stationary and an adjustable section hinged together whereby the said adjustable section' may be extended in alinement with the stationary section and arranged at right angles to said stationary section, of a vertically-extending support arranged between the stationary section of the ends, an adjustable seat adapted to engage over and upon the top of said support when the said seat is in a lowered position, means for suitably hinging one side of the seat to the support to permit of elevating the said seat, an adjustable back adapted to extend over and upon the top of the said support when the said back is in a lowered position, means for suitably hinging the back to the said support to permit of vertically adjusting the said back, an elongated cleat secured to the stationary sections of the ends, cleats connected to the seat and engaging in the cleats of the ends for supporting the seat when in a lowered position, means carried by the adjustable sections of the ends for supporting the back when in a lowered position, and means carried by the rear face of the back and adapted to extend over and engage the adjustable section of the ends when the latter are arranged at right angles to the stationary section for securing the back in a vertical position, lsubstantially as herein shown and described.

3. In a sofa-bed, the combination with a pair of ends each composed of a stationary and an adjustable section hinged together whereby the adjustable section maybe eX- tended in alinement with the stationary section, asupportarranged between the sections, a seat, means for hinging the seat to the said support, an adjustable back, means for hinging the back to the support, means carried by the ends and engaging with the seat for IIO supporting the same, vmeansA carried by the In testimony that I claim the foregoing as adjustable sections for supporting thebaok my own I hereunto subscribe my name in the when in a lowered position, and means earpresence of two Witnesses.

red by the rear face of the back andadapted l ELGIN C. HARTSHORN. to engage with'the top of the adjustable seo- Witnesses: tions of the ends for securing the back in a FRANCES MONTGOMERY,

Vertical position. EMILE C. NEUMEISTER. 

